Diane Downs

In May 1983, Diane Downs told police that a stranger had approached her car and shot her and her three children on a rural road outside Springfield, Oregon. But as investigators looked closer, inconsistencies began to emerge, and the case took a turn that shocked the community. One child, Cheryl, did not survive. Christie and Danny lived, but their injuries changed their lives forever. As detectives investigated Diane’s account, physical evidence, witness statements, and testimony from her surviving daughter became central to the case. In this episode of Under The Tape, we follow the investigation, examine the evidence presented at trial, and explore the case that led to Diane Downs’s conviction. PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/UnderTheTapePodcast INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/underthetapepod/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@under.the.tape.pod Sources Downs v. Hoyt — Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals The Washington Post — trial coverage and reporting on the case ABC News — reporting on the investigation and conviction Ann Rule, Small Sacrifices